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Mental health

I don't want to speak too soon either but diet, exercise and probiotics...

16 replies

Mylittlepuds · 22/11/2012 10:01

Regular posters know that I've suffered badly with anxiety since the birth of my son almost two years ago. I've had whims of following a healthy diet but never really went for it. Anyway I'm onto about the fifth day and I've really noticed a change. Don't get me wrong - I still have bad points in the day but it's not ALL day as it was. Less carbs, more fruit and veg and protein. Lots of nuts, lots of water and herbal teas.

I also want to mention probiotics. It seems a strange association but there are medical studies to prove that in mice and humans that probiotics boost GABA in the brain - the same thing that anti anxiety medicines act on. I've felt noticeably calmer since having one drink every morning but I must stress the change could be due to the overall shift in my lifestyle (not that it was 'bad' in the first place).

It would be nice to hear from anyone else who has benefitted from really changing their lifestyle?

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alwaysworriedtoo · 22/11/2012 19:13

I've not changed mylife style but I would like to know more.

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Mylittlepuds · 22/11/2012 19:27

Are you an anxious Annie too? What's your story? I had a bad postnatal anxiety that's never really lifted and I'm preggers again...

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alwaysworriedtoo · 22/11/2012 21:42

Mine has progressed over the years dh has noticed so it must be bad! I go through phases and am thinking it could be hormone linked. I have been ok for a while but different situations give me a wobble inbetween times!
I have done some research and when I am 'at that time' I seem to have G.a.d and contamination issues.Sometimes mild and I can easily get over it but other times its full blown feeling sick, sweating, impending doom, trembly,weepy,back ache, needing the loo, can't sleep.Very yacky!
Hence the posting name!
I have heard of people having anxiety and then when they have had another baby it has cancelled it out. How true this is I don't know.
Congratulations by the way!

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Mylittlepuds · 22/11/2012 22:34

Well we are but two peas in a pod :-) mine us most definitely hormonal. I had loads of counselling after DS but I knew it wasn't childhood or anything like that. I've coped with an awful lot and it was only after the massive hormone crash after day three of giving birth to DS that I had my first panic attack. I don't suffer attacks now - 'just' GAD which as you know is bloody awful. Do you get all day of feeling 'weird' and on edge for no real reason you can pin down?

Before I fell pregnant (a happy surprise!) mine would be with me all month but literally unbearable two weeks before a period. A few days after period it would significantly improve.

I personally think lack of progesterone is the culprit...

Anyhow, honestly this healthy eating thing hasn't cured me but it's significantly improved things. I know this as when I'm bad I'm do pessimistic I wouldn't even write that down!

What's your diet like?

I also find caffeine gives me racing thoughts and alcohol (pre preg obv) would help on the night but give me horrendous anxiety the next day. The other thing that really sets me off is lack of sleep.

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alwaysworriedtoo · 23/11/2012 13:43

Do you get all day of feeling 'weird' and on edge for no real reason you can pin down?

Yup! I sometimes do, I can't predict when either. And then because I have that feeling my brain thinks that it must be because of something , will find something, then attach the feeling to it. It could be something from years ago or two hours ago. It could be something big like 'I've had headache on and off is it the start of a brain tumor' or 'I've just stirred my tea with that spoon, has it been lying on the side in that puddle of spilled water, how long has that been there, will I get bacterias AAgh maybe I should chuck out this drink and make another one!'
Of course on normal days I won't think its a brain tumor and will think that the boiling water from the kettle will kill any germs that are probably not on the spoon!

I realise now I used to get like it when I was young but it would mostly be on a night and I would maybe get a thought in my head that I couldn't get rid of Like there might be a demon hiding behind my wallpaper' (that really happened, not the demon but the thought! Totally Nuts!) And I used to feel as if I wasn't getting enough air. I would go to my mam in the middle of the night or early hours and say 'It feels like I can't breath properly' and she would give me some vics vapour rub or albas oil! Of course we never thought it was panick attacks or anything like that.( the demon occasion I put a pin in the wall and had to give it to my mum and dad because I thought the demon had got onto the pin!)

I think my diet could be better.I kid myself that it is great and I realy try to vary what we eat but I think a bit more cabbage wouldn't go amiss or less coffee!
I think I would be a bit sad if I had to go without alcohol. I don't drink very much or very often but when I do I enjoy it, either the flavour of the whisky/brandy or the cool refreshingness of a Stella or a 'nice' cider. Even the juicy berryness or crispness of a red or white wine.Ha Ha that sounds very pretentious!

Yes more cabbage less coffee!

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Mylittlepuds · 25/11/2012 20:21

Just a quick message to say you sound so similar to me...you know you're being irrational but you can't help it! It's like a battle against your own mind. Bloody hell it's awful. Oh yeah and the perfect diet is still perfect but my anxiety has crept back in. I'm sick!!

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amillionyears · 25/11/2012 20:53

I have found that a bit more cabbage and brocolli in my diet give me less PMT symptoms ,if that is any help to anyone else.

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alwaysworriedtoo · 25/11/2012 20:56

Have started with probiotic little drink things as I am nearing my week before I am due on...

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Mylittlepuds · 25/11/2012 21:23

Ooh thanks amillionyears. I've been shovelling the broccoli in like there's no tomorrow so I'll give the cabbage a go too.

Let me know how you get on alwaysworriedtoo :-)

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amillionyears · 25/11/2012 21:26

Personally I find that white cabbage or eg sweetheart cabbage works as well if not better that the darker green varieties.

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PixieHot · 26/11/2012 07:43

Hi all Smile.

This is an interesting thread - I suffer from anxiety and depression, and would like to improve my sleep / diet / lifestyle in an effort to be as well as I possibly can be. I've been more disciplined about going to bed at a reasonable time recently, and I've been cooking from scratch more as well. I might try probiotics now too.

Can anyone tell me more about their contamination issues? I have these as well, and it significantly reduces the amount of fish, chicken etc that we eat. Does the development of coping strategies help (eg wearing plastic food preparation gloves), or does it just make the contamination thoughts more engrained Confused?

I think my problems are affected by my period as well, possibly with the week before my period being particularly bad. I'll watch this more in future.

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alwaysworriedtoo · 26/11/2012 17:30

Pixie Hot I'm on my week before now and at the moment I can feel myself simering. I had to ring my mum to check dd's yoghurt to check it was sealed cos i hadn't, having been rushing about (mum was taking her to school) I was kidding myself it was in case it riuined her packup but it was in case it had been open and gone bad! Had to tell dd not to run about with sweets in her mouth at a party instead of just waving to her through the window. The thought of not telling her made me feel a bit simmmery.
Contamination. I know that if I cleaned the sink and sides more often I would be less worried about germs.(I am very contary sometimes, I worry about germs but then am really slovenly!!) But food cooking I always just overcook everything just in case!
I wouldn't wear plastic gloves because I would have to change them a lot instead of just washing my hands.I would worry about all the plastic in landfill and the cost of the gloves and imagining the look on dh's face also puts me off!
When I realise I am washing my hands a lot I just try and wrinse them instead. I also try to think if there was germs the high cooking temperatures should kill anything (hence the overcooking!)
Also a wise micro biologist oncce wrote that her son had licked rain water off the pavement and she wasn't worried! I try and remember this and think if a micro-biologist isn't worried about something as gross as that I shouldn't be either!
I havn't had more cabbage yet Blush

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alwaysworriedtoo · 26/11/2012 17:33

Oh I have been going swimming twice a week and always cycle to and from work and to and from school run. Lots of excercise!

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Lottapianos · 26/11/2012 17:41

Another anxiety sufferer here and I find diet does make a difference. Loads of fruit and veg and fish help lots. Processed food and sugar really not good. Caffeine is a disaster for me. Alcohol ok in very moderate amounts, just a glass or two of wine at a time. Smoking the same, helps in small doses and yes I know it's not a good thing! Had never heard of probiotics being useful, may have to try.

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Lottapianos · 26/11/2012 17:44

And yes yes to exercise, if I can. Sometimes it's too much and I'm gone too far past the point where it can help

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PixieHot · 26/11/2012 18:43

The contamination thing is a PITA - I go through lots of dish cloths and tea towels as I don't like the idea of wet clothes just sitting there. I might get gloves and allow myself one pair per meal (eg to wear while I cut up chicken).

I've started going swimming recently, and I'll see if I can add something else to that.

I'm going to try probiotics as well.

I sometimes feel very busy / stressed at work so I don't have lunch until mid-afternoon. I think this makes me feel even worse though, so at the moment I'm trying to do everything possible to be kind to myself. This includes having snacks in my car so that I can have something to eat on the way home. All small things, but will hopefully contribute to me feeling better overall.

I've also got a lot of things done recently that have been hanging over me, and Si think that this is helping me to feel better as well. Sometimes I get stuck, and I find that I can't do something, because I somehow think that it's very difficult / impossible.

Sorry for the waffle Smile.

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